The Swn Fest in Cardiff, Wales

Festivals always resound with merriment and happy gatherings. Different festivals manifest themselves in different ways. Not every festival that celebrates music and arts has achieved success. Swn Fest held annually in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, is a clear exception. It is one of the few festivals that generate excitement year after year among music and art lovers across the world.

About Swn Fest

Swn is the Welsh name for music or noise. Swn Fest is a festival celebrating various bands and artists from Wales. The idea to host the festival in different venues arose from the South by South West (SxSW) event. Cardiff has always been known for its lively music scene. The wise decision to hold the festival in different venues gives numerous opportunities to showcase local Welsh talent. Bands that specialize in alternative, punk and indie rock perform to full houses throughout Cardiff. The festival can be safely called a mini version of the SxSW event.

The festival was jointly founded by Huw Stephens, a BBC Radio 1 DJ, and John Rostron, a promoter in Cardiff. The first edition of the festival was held in 2007 and has since been held in either October or November. Welsh language bands are well represented in the festival. The festival has managed to bring together venues, bands, and promoters across Wales.

What the Festival Has To Offer

The festival focuses first on music, but also includes many other events. Swn Fest includes live performances with DJ’s, music related exhibitions, screening of films, and music related quizzes. For those who would like to learn more about music, there are music workshops and outdoor performances.The festival has undergone numerous changes over the years and new bands have been encouraged to join. However, the quality of the music and the excitement created has allowed the festival to maintain its quality and diversity throughout the years. The multi-venue music festival reached a landmark 10th year in 2016.

Every year, music lovers eagerly await the announcement of the festival schedule to discover the names of the various bands invited to perform that year. Hordes of people flock to the venues to listen to and enjoy the best musical talent in the country. Cardiff city centre transforms itself into a vast artistic and musical arena during Swn Fest leaving almost everyone to hope the music never stops.